This document discusses lessons for building successful startup ecosystems from Silicon Valley. It notes that entrepreneurs are the essential element, and that ecosystems should make it easy for entrepreneurs to start companies by reducing barriers. While most startups will fail, getting entrepreneurs to success or failure faster is important. The document advocates removing obstacles so that optimistic entrepreneurs can drive progress, as they overwhelmingly believe their startups will succeed despite challenging odds.

1. Secrets of Successful Startup
Ecosystems
Chris Yeh
@chrisyeh

2. You can’t replicate Silicon Valley…

3. …But you can learn from it.

4. Lesson 1
• Entrepreneurs are the essential element in the
ecosystem

5. The rest of us are just service providers

6. Entrepreneurship isn’t economical
• Of every 1,000 companies that seek angel
funding, only 6 make money for investors
• Classic math is that 1/10 companies receive
funding, 1/10 of those are hits
• Noam Wasserman found the return on
entrepreneurship lagged corporate jobs

7. Entrepreneurs don’t have option value

8. Lesson 2
• Make it easy for entrepreneurs to start
companies (before they wise up!)
Thanks Hugh MacLeod!

9. Silicon Valley wins because we reduce
the friction of company formation

10. This gets you to success or failure faster

11. Entrepreneurs are optimists
• 81% of entrepreneurs think
their startup will succeed!
• All you have to do is remove
obstacles and they do the
rest!

12. Thanks folks!
Chris Yeh
@chrisyeh